This invention relates to a method for adjusting a vehicle headlight during cornering and/or at intersections.
This invention also relates to headlight units for generating cornering light, having a reflector surface designed for that purpose. Also, this function is appropriate for adverse weather lamps.
A headlight is known for adjusting vehicle lighting during cornering, in which the headlight is pivoted about a vertical axis, depending on a turning radius or steering deflection. This requires an additional pivoting device, is costly, and entails an increased space requirement in a vehicle body.
Furthermore, European patent document (EP 0 661 193 A1) discloses a headlight in which an upper region of a reflector is divided into two segments that can be moved by use of electrical signals. The movable segments are controlled as a function of lateral inclination of a motorcycle, as registered by a sensor. Such control of individual reflector segments is mechanically costly, expensive, and trouble-prone. On the other hand, of course, it is also appropriate to provide good lateral illumination of sides of roads when cornering, but without blinding on-coming traffic when driving straight.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, safe, and uncomplicated method of illuminating sides of roads, even during cornering, without blinding on-coming traffic when driving straight.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a headlight unit for carrying out the method of this invention.